Receptacle



Jan. 12, 1937. N. P. couRTNEY RECEPTACLE Filed May 28, 1932 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. l2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'I'his invention relates to cans or other receptacles of the friction top variety, and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

In cans of this type the can top has a large 5 aperture within which is adapted to fit a cover,

the parts being so constructed that a more or less satisfactory seal is produced between the cover and top by pressing down the cover into the aperture in the top. In' cans of this type as heretofore made the cover is provided with a beaded periphery which when the cover is in place contacts with the upper Vsurface of the can top. For the purpose of loosening the covers it has been the general practice to insert a knife or other prying instrument beneath this bead, the knife being used as a lever to pry 01T the cover. The insertion of an instrument beneath the bead when the latter is lying close to the top of the can is sometimes diicult, and according to one feature of the present invention I provide a can tcp and cover in which there are limiting means for the insertion of the cover into the top which act in such manner that the bead is spaced from the top when the can cover is in its fully closed position. This permits the easy insertion of a prying instrument well beneath the bead, and facilitates the opening operation. When such covers are used in connection with specially constructed prying instruments, as for instance, such as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,826,740, wherein the prying instrument is connected with the cover when the can is shipped by the manufacturer, that part of the prying instrument which normally lies below the cover bead prevents the ordinary cover from being pressed home on that side on which the prying instrument is located. 'I'his results in a canting of the cover with a consequent impairment of the seal and places an undue strain on one side of the can top or cover because of the tilted position of the cover. With the means provided for spacing the cover bead above the can top, the cover may be fully inserted without such canting, so that a symmetrical seal is produced around the entire top opening. So also when used in connection with an instrument, such as is set forth in said patent, which instrument is capable of moving circumferentially around the cover to any point, the spacing of the bead above the top facilitates this movement, and promotes ease of removal of the cover. In the preferred form of this feature the peripheral portion of the cover is provided with a flange or bead which constitutes the limiting device, and beyond this the periphery is formed with a vertical wall which is connected to a sub stantially horizontal section, which in turn has an under-rolled bead. This construction materially stiifens the cover, and tends to promote a more even seating of the latter from the standpoint of greater rigidity.

According to another feature of the invention the can top itself is provided with an upstanding corrugation or bead, circular in form, and usually lying intermediate the outer seam of the can top and the inner frictional surface which sura rounds the opening in the top. This bead constitutes a portion against which a prying instrument of the type described acts in raising the cover, and which is stronger and better adapted to resist the force of such an opener than the flat metal of the top. Since in the preferred form it extends circumferentially of the top, this bead is ready to act, irrespective of the position of the prying instrument at the time of any particular prying movement. The provision of such a bead at the top also materially strengthens the top, and makes it more rigid. This bead also constitutes a raised portion which, by raising the point at which the opener bears upon the can top, minimizes the lost motion which would otherwise be present and makes it possible to secure a greater lift from each operation of the lever opener.

According to another feature of the invention I prefer to so shape the inner periphery of the top and the limiting ange of the cover so as to increase their total sealing area. Other features of improvement will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown the preferred form of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a vertical diametrical section of the top of a can provided with one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan, partly broken away, of Fig. l

on a smaller scale.

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view, showing the operation of the prying instrument.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of a slightly modified form of can.

Referring to the drawing, let A indicate a can body having a top B and a cover C. In general the top B is seamed at its outer periphery to the can body, as shown at D, and is provided with an inner depending flange E which surrounds the opening through the top.

The top is usually depressed at F below the level of the seam D in such manner as to leave a raised portion G at about the point where the flange E commences.

. in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the cover C, the latter is provided near its outer periphery with a limiting member H. This may be merely a series of projections around the cover, but I prefer to construct it as a flange or shoulder which is circumferential, and which is adapted to engage the raised portion G in order to limit the downward movement of the cover. In the construction shown beyond the shoulder H is a more or less vertical portion I, which merges into a horizontal portion J, the periphery of which is turned under to form a bead K. The extent of the vertical portion I principally determinesv the spacing between the under edge of the vbeadY K and the upper surface of the top. In the drawing this is shown as very ample; and-ink ordinary practice frequently the verticall porinserted in the can, and also .to provide suf'- cient space between the bead K and the upper surface of the top to permit the introduction of a, prying instrument. When an instrument of the type shown at Lis (employed, of the na-V ture shown in my aforesaid patent, the position of the instrument with regard'to .the topr and cover, when the cover is in place, is illustrated It will be seen from this gure that there is ample room beneath the bead for the positioning of the instrument.

I prefer to form in the top a raised projection extending circumferentially of the top, as shown.

at M. lThis provides a strong portionV against which the'prying portion N of the instrument L may rest during the operation" of lifting the cover, as shown in Fig. 3. As it preferably lextends completely around the can, it is particu-j larlysuitable for 'an linstrument of the type shown, which is adapted tov be moved to any given position around the bead, so that the cover may be pried in a numberof places in order that it may be progressivelylifted,and thus straining of the friction surfaces avoided.' vThe raised portion IVI also materially stiiens the top and renders'the latter better able to withstand the prying action, particularly with an instrument which does not normally contact with the seam D during a portion of the prying operation. The said raisedportion M, in addition to the foreging attributes, serves to elevate the point on the can top on which the opener bears and thus minimizes lost motion in this assembly and affords a greater lift for each operation of the lever opener. p

It will be observed that I have aided the sealing eifect of the cover to some extent by forming the raised portion G of the top and the, shoulder H of the cover of similar contours, so that there is an additional area of metallic joint between the cover and the top.

In the single seal type of can the sealing effect is limited to the flange E and a corresponding portion O of the cover. This type is shown in Fig. 3. This sealing portion, however, may bei increased by elongating the fiange E and, carrying it up to a point P, to form a can of the double seal type, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig.4 4 illustrates a can of the triple seal type, whereiny part of the cover being raisedas shown in Figs.

1 and 4, or depressed as shown in Fig. 3.

The form of prying tool used as a part of the present invention may be varied, and may be` either removable or irremovable. In the tool shown the device is inseparable from the cover,

being held thereon by a tongue R which has a broad base connection with the body of the tooL'in order to create additional strength at this point.

While I have shown and described one form Hof'the'irivention, it will be understood that I do i notl wish to be limited thereto, since various changes vmay be made therein without from the spirit ofthe invention.

What I claim is:

l. 'Ihecombination .with1a"fricti'on toplcani having a top and a cover, theicov'er having a bead at its outermargin, of a prying instrument fulcrumed on said bead andadapted'tobe slid' along the sameV around thegco'ver, a .portion'fof said prying instrument lying:.between saidibead: and the top.' and the top'h'avinga circular bead= lying between its inner periphery andfits outer juncture with the. can body, said bead .constituting a ridge against which the..prying instrument may bear lin any..circumferential po sition of the latter, and means onnthecover for? limiting' the closing movementl of". the cover, whereby lsaidbead lis spaced vapart from, the can' top, and permitting the prying instrument; to. freely slide around.v the cover..A Y;

2. In a friction top can, the combination of a can having sidewalls and-a top with la cover adapted to'itv in the holein thetoncthei cover having a peripheral bead andianLopeneremf; bracingsaid beadand normallyheld iniconnec-V departing tion therewith at all times, the. bead `forminga the bead and the can top into which aportionI of the opener may project without canting the cover.Y

3. In a friction top can, the combination with a can and top of a cover adapted to be fitted in the opening in the top, the cover having a circumferential bead turned yon the under side thereof and overlying a portion of the top, said cover having means adjacent said bead for limiting the insertion of the cover into the top to provide a space under the cover bead, a prying instrument fulcrumed on the bead of said cover and disposed partly in said space, the can top having a raised bead intermediate the opening and the outer edge of the top and substantially parallel to said opening, said bead being adapted to strengthen the can top and to serve as a raised bearing portion upon which the opener may bear at any point around the cover.

NICHOLAS P. COURTNEY. 

